European Patent Office 50d ago

In southern Chile, firewood heats most homes, but it also drives severe air pollution. Aníbal Montalva Rodríguez and Miguel Ángel Fernández Donoso developed a nature-based solution: a living biofilter that uses plants to capture pollutants from chimney smoke. By cooling and filtering emissions through vertical gardens, the system reduces particulate matter by over 90%, without requiring households to give up wood heating. Already in use across homes, schools and hospitals. Finalists in the 2026 European #InventorAward. 🎥 Watch and vote 👉 InventorAward.org